Is it too crazy to carry non-climbing items on a climbing harness on a hike rather than a climb. I'm thinking that it would be super convenient to clip a water bottle to one of the gear loops. How about hang two ice tools through the gear loops on an approach to a couloir, since my pack can't accommodate 2 ice tools?

I think you will eventually find larger, heavier items hanging from your harness to be a pain in the a##. If you were to take a fall with 2 ice tools hanging at your side, now you have 2 very sharp objects in close proximity to your body that are falling with you.

Moving weight is the worst kind of weight, and a swinging bottle is right up there among the worst kind of moving weight - right behind anything with sharp edges and acute points.

I am unable to walk away from the mountain without climbing it. An unclimbed mountain tugs at my consciousness with the eternal weight of time itself. Until I've pressed my face into it's alpine winds, hugged it's ancient granite walls, and put it's weathered summit beneath my heal I'm unable to resist it's attraction.Knowing nature gives the mountain more time than she gives us adds urgency to the obsession. As has been said before; the mountain doesn't care.

I have a buddy who very successfully sewed loops onto the waist belt of his pack using pieces of webbing. He uses them to carry pickets and other miscellaneous gear. Also, some Osprey packs come with gear loops already attached. Seems like that would work much better than wearing a harness all day.

Liquid Shadow wrote:Is it too crazy to carry non-climbing items on a climbing harness on a hike rather than a climb. I'm thinking that it would be super convenient to clip a water bottle to one of the gear loops. How about hang two ice tools through the gear loops on an approach to a couloir, since my pack can't accommodate 2 ice tools?

If crazy is the look you're going for then I think it's a good start! Pair it up with some high waisted short pant (manpris?) and hike the waist up to your chest, some black socks and combat boots would help make the look. Maybe hang a couple of #10 or #11 hexs on it, gotta be at least 2 so they clang all the way up the mountain like a cow bell, more cow bell baby!

"I made up my mind not to care so much about the destination, and simply enjoy the journey." David Archuleta"And if they get out there they see, son of a bitch, this is a beautiful planet." Jim Whittaker

Obviously, you combine it with a fly fishermans vest and hang five 15 inch cutthroats off the harness loops. That way your hands are free to drink a Stone and pop in a wad of chew on the way back to the TH, without the hassle of a backpack. We do that up here all the time.

Using a climbing harness for carrying stuff hiking would be both overkill and silly (not to mention highly un-stylish). If all you are doing is hanging stuff from the gear loops rather than having the harness carry your weight, leg loops are inconvenient and unnecessary. Remove the leg loops from your harness and you are left with....a belt. Since gear loops aren't load bearing you can easily sew your own gear loops onto hiking pants or just use the belt loops.

- A mountain is not a checkbox to be ticked- Alpinism and mountaineering are not restricted to 14,000 foot mountains- Judgment and experience are the two most important pieces of gear you own- Being honest to yourself and others about your abilities is a characteristic of experienced climbers- Courage cannot be bought at REI or carried with you in your rucksack